r 73 ] 



advancement. To thefe they find a more certain road, in the fludy 

 of forenfic eIoc[ uence, and the details of finance, or political econo- 

 my, than in che happieft and nobleft exertions of poetry. There 

 are times, when fpots prevail on the face of the fun ; and, for 

 years together, fadden the world, by rendering the feafons back- 

 ward, and climinifhing his light, and heat, and chearing influence. 

 May there not be fomething, at prefent, in the political hemif- 

 phere, which difpofes the mind to gloom and ferioufnefs, and 

 makes it unfit for the play of fancy, and works of imagination? — 

 Certain it is, that the fmall encouragement beftowed on native and 

 original works of genius tends to lefTen the dignity, and indepen- 

 dence of poetry ; to feparate the tafk of amufing, from that of in- 

 ftruding the world ; and to throw the latter office into the mean 

 and griping hands, of a mob of tranflators, little folicitous about 

 their own fame, or the morals of the nation, provided they can 

 find a compendious way to the pockets of the public. 



There is certainly a caufe, which lies deep and remote, and is 

 not obferved, with the attention it merits, which is filently ope- 

 rating, to produce a liftlefs apathy, or a childifh frivolity, in the 

 fpedators, and readers, and to diminifh the numbers of both ; and 

 at the fame time, contrads, with refpefl to the writer, his means 

 of ftudying the human heart, and obtaining a knowledge of life 

 and manners. The middle order, the moft moral, the befl edu- 

 cated, and the moft judicious part of the community, experiences 

 Vol. VIII. ( K ) a gradual 



